How are you doing, Memphis? It’s Wednesday, Nov. 6, and many of us will no doubt be yawning at our desks after waking up every few hours to refresh presidential election returns. And now that that’s decided, you’re not only tired but also really bummed or really pleased, depending on which way you swing. 

But the world keeps turning, and Downtown’s Design Review Board will meet to discuss renovations for the old Murdock Printing Company in the Edge District today. It’s one of the last blighted buildings in the neighborhood, but there are plans to renovate it into a commercial and office space with a ground-floor restaurant.

Tonight, LeBron and Co. will be in town as the Memphis Grizzlies play the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Former President Donald Trump won Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 5. (Evan Vucci/AP file)

Trump wins: Former U.S President Donald Trump has won the White House in the race against Vice President Kamala Harris. The win marks a comeback for a former president who sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts. Trump took Tennessee’s 11 electoral votes on Tuesday. The state’s Republican U.S. senator, Marsha Blackburn, was also reelected in her race against Democrat Gloria Johnson. As for the state’s House seats, Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen and Republican Rep. David Kustoff, easily won their districts.

Memphis voters approved three gun control city charter amendments on the 2024 election ballot. (Benjamin Naylor/The Daily Memphian file)

Memphians want gun control: Memphis voters overwhelmingly approved all three gun-control questions on the ballot Tuesday. Those include a move to reinstate gun permits and require safe storage in cars, a ban on assault rifle sales and the seizure of guns as part of extreme-risk protection orders. The wins mean the Memphis City Council is now expected to vote on a “trigger law” that would enact the reforms should state laws ever change. Memphis voters also approved referendums for mayoral runoffs and residency requirements, which could change how the city’s next mayoral election is decided. And they approved a referendum to allow the Memphis City Council to set their own salaries, as well as those of the mayor, chief administrative officer and city division directors.

State Rep. John Gillespie spoke at the Marriott East after declaring victory on Tuesday, Nov. 5. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Who won statehouse races? Shelby County voters sent 14 incumbent lawmakers back to the Tennessee statehouse. State Rep. John Gillespie was reelected on Tuesday in the narrow District 97 race against Democratic challenger Jesse Huseth. In the District 83 race, incumbent Republican state Rep. Mark White beat out Democratic challenger Noah Nordstrom. The one newcomer will be Democrat Gabby Salinas, who ran unopposed Tuesday for House District 96. Salinas will be the first female Tennessee lawmaker to openly identify as LGBTQ+. Here are the full results of local statehouse elections.

Maureen Fraser, with daughter Brittany Fraser (left), shed tears after defeating Billy Patton for Collierville mayor on Tuesday, Nov. 5. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

In the ’burbs: Collierville will have a new mayor in Maureen Fraser. But one seat on the suburb’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen will go to a runoff. Also in Collierville, Tom Bailey will join the Collierville Board of Education, and Wanda Gibbs was reelected. Millington is also getting a new mayor, Larry Dagen. As for the rest of Millington’s races, incumbents swept. In Bartlett, Alderman Kevin Quinn has won reelection, as did the city’s five other incumbents. In Germantown, Andy Ellis was elected to the Germantown Board of Education, while incumbents cruised to victory for BMA seats. In Lakeland, all the candidates for commissioner and school board seats ran unopposed. And finally, over in DeSoto County, there were no surprises with Republicans winning in every contested race. 

QUOTED

“Here are my two kids, and here’s a convertible with the top down [and a gun]. It was shocking.”

— Memphis voter Richard Dixon
Throughout Election Day, our Daily Memphian reporters talked to voters at the polls. Dixon, who voted in favor the city gun-control referendums at One City Church, told our reporter a story about seeing an unconcealed weapon in a car. He said a police officer later told him that was legal in Tennessee, which influenced his vote for the reforms, all of which passed overwhelmingly. See all of our Election Day dispatches here.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Pleasant surprises for the Memphis Grizzlies this season include forward Jaylen Wells (0, with ball) and forward Santi Aldama (7, right). Running alongside are starters Ja Morant (12, left) and center Zach Edey (14, second from left). (Brandon Dill/AP file)

First-rate, third-string: Some of the Memphis Grizzlies’ starters and second-teamers haven’t gotten as much playing time as we’d all hoped, thanks to injuries starting out the season. But that’s given the third-stringers — notably Jake LaRavia, Scotty Pippen Jr., Jaylen Wells and Jay Huff — some real playing time. In his Grizz column this week, Chris Herrington breaks down the numbers of how many total games have been missed by every player and what surprises that’s led to from the bench, including some noisy plays by “readymade cult hero” (and my personal fave Grizzly this season) Jay Huff.

The Grind City Coffee Xpo is planned for Saturday, Nov. 16, at Crosstown Arts. (Courtesy Mark Adams)

What to eat: Thanksgiving is coming, and you may already be dreaming of the big feast. But there’s plenty more November food events coming up first. In food writer Jennifer Chandler’s round-up, you’ll find the deets on a Phillip Ashley chocolate tasting that pairs confections and cocktails and a new spirit-themed party at the Lichterman Nature Center. Plus, there’s the annual Grind City Coffee Xpo, a Clean Memphis dinner focusing on food waste and more.

Mikey Madison (left) as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in the film “Anora.” (Courtesy Neon)

What to watch: Filmmaker Sean Baker’s “Anora” opens this week in local theaters, and our movie buff Chris Herrington says it’s one of the “better films to screen in Memphis so far this year.” “Anora” tells the story of a Manhattan strip club performer who falls in love (and eventually marries) a Russian billionaire, and then drama ensues. Read more about that and an Australian stop-motion animation film that Herrington also highly recommends in his Memphis Movies This Week column.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

No matter who you were rooting for in the election, we were probably all on the same side in Monday night’s Memphis Tigers game. The Tigers won that season-opener against Missouri, thanks in part to point guard P.J. Haggerty, whom our own Tim Buckley praises in his most recent column. Also, here’s a fun idea from a Tigers fan: 

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